


Patience is Power

by Dramione84



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:01:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23804293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dramione84/pseuds/Dramione84
Summary: Oliver likes the barista who works in the coffee shop he's been going to recently. What he doesn't know is that the barista likes him too...
Relationships: Marcus Flint/Oliver Wood
Comments: 4
Kudos: 93





	Patience is Power

**Author's Note:**

> With thanks to ThorneRose for beta work.

Patience is power.

Patience is not an absence of action;

rather it is "timing"

it waits on the right time to act,

for the right principles

and in the right way.

― Fulton J. Sheen

Oliver sat in the corner of the coffee shop, ensconced in his usual spot; he may as well have taken up residence in the little shop, having been frequenting it every day for the past month. 

In the beginning, it had been simply a matter of convenience. He needed to get out from under the feet of his room mate, Percy, and Percy’s girlfriend, Penelope. He needed peace to study for his final exams, the sort of peace that doesn’t come from listening to your best friend constantly making out with his girlfriend. How Percy hadn’t chapped lips by now was anyone’s guess, and quite when Penelope was leaving was also up for debate as she had clearly taken up residence of late, despite the fact that the tiny two bedroom suburban apartment was only just big enough for Oliver and Percy.

However as Oliver glanced over at the tall, dark haired barista who was cordially chatting with another patron, arms folded lazily across his well toned torso as he leant back slightly on the coffee bar, he was forced to admit to himself that getting away to study wasn’t the only reason for his choice of location. No, he thought to himself as the barista caught his eye and smiled causing him to blush slightly, he could no longer deny to himself that he was very much enraptured with the young man. 

He was vaguely aware that the young barista was a year or two older than him, having seen him around the university campus a few times. Mark or Marcus he thought his name was, scrunching his nose in thought as he tried to recall what he had heard his mates yell across the quadrant when he remembered seeing him playing a bit of jumpers for goalposts football, last week sometime. He remembered catching his eye then too, and the way he had brushed a loose lock of hair away from his forehead as he jogged past Oliver, cutting across the quadrant lawn, smiling in a way that had sent Oliver’s stomach into somersaults. He was sure he had blushed on that occasion too.

“Fancy another? the young man asked, interrupting Oliver’s train of thought so abruptly that Oliver knocked over the remains of his coffee, the dark brown liquid pooling in the corner of the table as Oliver grabbed his notes quickly, trying to stop the flow of liquid from ruining the last two hours' efforts. Three purposeful strides and the young man was at his table, mopping up the liquid just as it started to trickle onto the floor. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” the young man apologised smiling as he leant over the table to wipe it. Oliver’s eyes fixed on the name tag on his shirt that now gaped open slightly, giving Oliver a glimpse of the young man’s collarbone, causing him to lick his lips involuntarily. ‘Marcus’, read the name tag. Oliver gulped.

“No it’s okay, it was my fault really...should have been concentrating,” Oliver quickly replied, his blush deepening, causing Marcus’s smile to widen. 

“Yeah, you did look lost in thought for a moment,” Marcus replied, glancing down at Oliver’s notes. “History major, yeah?”

Oliver nodded fervently. 

“Law, myself,” Marcus replied, standing tall. “Managed to get in on a sport scholarship, much to my father’s relief. Didn’t have the grades,” he explained. “So did you want another?” he asked, gesturing to the now empty cup.

Oliver shook his head, still overwhelmed with embarrassment, and keen to get out of the shop before he made himself look even more of a fool than he had already managed. Gathering his notes, he shoved them into his messenger bag, standing as Marcus stepped back a metre to let him past.

“6 o’clock,” he said quietly, with a slight tilt of his sharp chin as Oliver brushed past.

“Sorry?” Oliver replied, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Marcus smiled once more as he started to make his way back to the coffee bar. “That’s when I get off work,” he called over his shoulder.

For a moment Oliver stood rooted to the spot, unsure how to react. Nodding almost to himself he made his way to the door, grabbing the handle with now sweaty palms.

“Don’t be late,” Marcus called over the noise of the coffee machine as it roared to life, smiling to himself. Patience, he had to admit to himself was not only a virtue but power too.


End file.
